How to Remove Oil Stains from Carpeting
If you have spilled an oily substance on your carpet, make sure that you clean the area as quickly as possible before oil seeps into the carpet creating a stain. Use cornstarch, dish soap and a carpet stain remover to clean all of the oil from your carpet so that it looks like new again.
Things You'll Need:
- Clean cloths
- Cornstarch
- Vacuum cleaner
- Dish soap
- Sponge
- Carpet stain remover
- Dab excess oil from your carpeting with a clean cloth to remove as much oil from the area that you can. Make sure to not scrub at the spot because this will cause grease to seep farther into the carpet.
- Sprinkle cornstarch on the stained area of your rug making sure to use enough of the powder to soak up the oil. Leave the cornstarch on your carpet for 15 minutes and then vacuum the area to get the cornstarch up from the carpeting. Sprinkle cornstarch again if there is still an excess of oil on the rug.
- Scrub the oil stain that is left with a sponge and a grease cleaning dish soap. Clean the area for a few minutes to bring up as much of the stain as you can.
- Rinse the dish soap from the carpet by pouring clean water on the area and blotting at it with a clean rag. This should be done until all soap suds have been removed completely.
- Purchase a cleanser from your local grocery store that is specially formulated to remove carpet stains if you are having difficulty removing the oil from your carpet. Look for a brand that indicates that it can be used to remove oil. Read the instructions on the package of your cleanser and apply it to the stain to remove any oil that has been left over.